Separator for ore, coal, &amp;c.



No. 629,596. Patented July 25, I899.

F. PABDEE.

SEPARATOR FOR ORE, COAL, &c.

(Application filed Nov. 18, 1898.

[No Model.)

IIIIIIIHH II flllllllll llllllll l/ &

xii/77266666556666 Ina-62a UNITED STATES 1 PATENT ()EFrcE.

FRANK PARDEE, or I-IAZLETON, PENNSYLVANIA.

s EPARATO R F Rv ORE, COAL, 80d.

sPEcIFrcA'rioN forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,596, dated July25,1899. Application filed November 18, 1898- Serlal No. 696,766. (Nomodel.)

DIO coal, &c. which operate by centrifugal force,

so as to cause a separation of the substances by virtue of the same andof their difference in specific gravity or frictional resistance.

The principal objects are, first, to provide 1 5 a machine having thespecial advantages of a rotary movement of the spirals along or throughwhich the substances pass; secondly, to provide means by which advantagemay be taken of the action of water thereon, and,

.20 thirdly, to make provision for receiving the separated substancesand for conveying them out of or from the machine.

When coal is taken from the mines, it is mixed with more or less rockysubstances,

usually designated as slate, which contain silica or other gritty matterpossessing a peculiar frictional resistance when moving over other solidsubstances. This resistance is such during the passage of the mixedsubstances along the spirals of a centrifugal separator as to causetheslate to move slower than the pure coal or that which contains thinlayers of slate and known as bone, The'centrifugal action causes, thecoal to glide with 5 more rapidity, and as it meets with less resistancefrom the surface overwhich the several substances are made to travel itpasses to the outer edge of the spirals, the bone being next and theslate nearest the center.

40 The difference in the nature and action of the substances makescentrifugal action available for purposes of separating substances ofdifferent specific gravity and frictional resistance, though it is notwholly to be relied upon, nor should the centrifugal motion beso rapidas to overcome the resistance which can be made to operate against thespeed of the slate and bone when moving over another solid surface.Under these conditions the resistance can be taken advantage of bymechanical means for changing the course of the substances possessingsuch property for causing them to proceed nearer the center of a spiralway and come within the proper lim its before emerging from the machine.If to such action there be added a flow of water for washingthematerials on the spirals and floating the lighter particles, stillbetter results may in many instances be obtained. To attain the objectsstated, the invention consists of a separator comprising a rotary spiralway for causing the separation or assortment of different substances andmeans for receiving the same as they emerge separately from the spiralsthereof,"as well as in the combination with means for conveying themfrom the machine; also, in having water connection, and in theconstructions, arrangements, and combinations, as hereinafter more fullydescribed, and pointed out or indicated by the claims hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation,

partly in section, of a separator embodying in a single machine one formof the several featuresof the invention as designed for the separationofcoal from slate, in which combination it will be described, thoughapplicable to the separation of other substances.

Fig. 2-is a fragmentary section showing the discharge-chutes in relationto the conveyor. The machine thus shown is of the vertical type, whichfor the use stated is the preferable form.

In the drawings,A represents a shaft around and along which a spiral wayBis constructed,

so as to form a floor along which the substances pass. This floormayhave an incline or pitch toward the shaft or axis and toward theoutlet for the separated substances, so as to aid precipitation of thesubstances having greater-weight or frictional resistance toward thecenter and to assist all of the substances being acted upon in theirpassage through the machine. The shaft of the spiral is suitablyjournaled at or near each end to the blocks a a and may be provided witha pulley b or other means for receiving power connections. The journalsa a are suitably supported by connections, (not shown,) the lowerjournal being on a beam 0, the details of such connections or the mannerof forming the journals being immaterial.

The drawings show a single spiral way 13,

but, if desired, there may be two or more, and

ing certain substances inward when their tendency might be to go too faroutward. These undulating surfaces may be of any form and continuous ornon-continuous, as desired.

When the machine is constructed with a single spiral or when it isdesired to take advantage of the separation made on one spiral,

some means ought to be provided for keeping,

the assorted substances apart as they emerge therefrom, and this may beaccomplished in various ways. The drawings show a short stationarypartition e, which acts as a guide at the outlet of the spiral; but anadjustable pivot-gate or any other suitable means may be employed forthe purpose.

In order to receive the separated substances emerging from or passingoff of the rotating spiral, provision is made for permitting acontinuous discharge by having circular chutes or receptacles D D,corresponding, approximately, in diameter to-the portion of the spiraloccupied-or taken up by the several substances or as guided by thepartition 6 or whatever means may be employed for directing themtherefrom. The circular chutes D D are shown as leading to a conveyer E,having divided buckets or pockets for keeping them apart during theirelevation or passage from the machine and, as shown, delivery to adouble or divided chute F, which carries them to any desired place. Theelevator or conveyer E may of course be dispensed with in certain casesand especially when the separator is not inclosed within a water-tank orthe circular chutes D D lead to'receptacles for receiving and holdingthe separated substances until it is necessary or desirable to removethem. In the drawings, however, a tank G is shown as inclosing thespiral way B, which connects by the chutes D D with the elevator E,which is separated from the body of water by a partition f, to which thechutes D D .are joined at proper openings, through which they lead tothe buckets or pockets of the conveyer. The tank Gr is designed tocontain a body of water, which may be circulated therein by means of apump H, connected to the interior thereof by apipe g and dischargingthrough a pipe 72., leading from the pump to the top of the tank, asshown. By such means a circulation may be maintained in the tank, so asto use the same body of water over and over without waste; but where thesupply of water is such as not to be an object in the economic operationof the machine a continuous flow to and from the machine may bemaintained by any suitable pump or other connec tions without thenecessity of a containingtank. The lower part of the tank G is shown asextending some distance below the outlet of the spiral way and of thechutes leading therefrom, and in such case it is provided, preferably atthe bottom, with an outlet and a gate I, having lever connections '11,so' that it may be emptied and washed out whenever desired.

The operation is as follows: The tank being filled with water, the pumpset in operation to keep it in circulation, and the spiral rotated byconnections with power, the mixed substances-say coal and slate areadmitted at the top of the spirals. The current of the water will followthe course of the spirals, carrying with it the substances to beseparated, which, with the centrifugal action produced by the form andthe rotation of the spirals, causes the mixed substances to whirlrapidly around and along the same, and during their passage over andalong the spirals the lighter substances or those having less frictionalresistance will be carried to the outer portion of the way, while thosehaving greater weight or frictional resistance will move to the centerorinner part. The separated substances pass off at the outlet of thespirals into the circular chutes leading to the conveyer, which, beinginoperation, will carry them up and out of the machine, discharging theminto the chutes leading therefrom.

Though the several features of the inven tion as I intend to claim itare shown and de scribed as being embodied and combined in a singlemachine, it will of course be under stood that as pointed out orindicated bythe claims certain features maybe used in other relations orcombinations which do not em body the details of construction as shownor as hereinbefore set forth in connection with the drawings. a

I do not herein claim the features of construction of spiral separatorswhich are made the subject-matter of the application filed by me on May17, 1898, Serial No. 680,987, nor do I herein claim the features of sucha machine which form the subjects-matter of the several applicationsfiled by me on November 18, 1898, Serial Nos. 696,761, 696,762, 696,763,696,764, 696,765, and 696,767, respectively, to which reference ishereby made.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A machine for separating ore, coal, &c., comprisinga rotary shaft,aspiral way formed around and along said shaft, constituting a floorprovided with an incline the plane of which pitches toward the centerand toward the outlet for separating different substances, and circularchutes at the outlet of said way for receiving the separated substances.

2. A machine for separating ore, coal, 850., comprising a rotary shaft,a spiral way formed around and along said shaft, constituting a floorprovided with an incline the plane of which pitches toward the centerand toward the outlet, means for causing the substances acted upon toemerge separately from said way, and circular chutes at the outletthereof for receiving the separated substances.

3. A machine for separating ore, coal, 20.,

comprising a shaft a rotary spiral way formed around and along saidshaft, means for cans: ing the substances acted upon to emergeseparately from said Way, and circular chutes at the end thereof forreceiving the separated substances, in combination with a partitionedconveyor for receiving the separated substances from said chutes. 1

4. A machine for separating ore, coal, &c., comprising ashaft a rotaryspiral way formed around and along said shaft, and circular chutes atthe end of said way, in combination with means for causing a flow ofwater along the spirals of said way.

5. A machine for separating ore, coal, 85c, comprising a shaft a rotaryspiral way formed around and along said shaft, means for causing thesubstances acted upon to emerge separately from said way, and circularchutes at the end thereof, for receiving the separated substances, incombination with means for causing a flow of water to said way.

6. A machine for separating ore,-coal, &c.,

I FRANK PARDEE,

\Vitnesses:

A. o M. EBY, GUST. FrsoHER.

